Cucumber Sandwiches Recipe [Video] - 30 minutes meals (2024)

FAQs

Will cucumber sandwiches go soggy? ›

Because cucumbers are watery, the sandwiches are best assembled just a few hours before serving to keep them from becoming soggy. But there are a few things you can do ahead of time, so you aren't doing everything at the last minute.

British settlers in India were trying to find a way to cope with the heat and apparently cucumbers helped. Then, in the Victorian Era (1837-1901), cucumber sandwiches became a staple of afternoon tea. Now I will say, the British never put any spreads on their cucumber sandwiches, but it's definitely the way to go.

In the first act of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest (1895), cucumber sandwiches that have expressly been ordered and prepared for Lady Bracknell's expected visit are all voraciously eaten beforehand by her nephew and host, Algernon Moncrieff; consequently he is forced to tell a little lie, with his ...

Food symbolizes excess, or overindulgence. For instance, Algernon cannot stop eating cucumber sandwiches, or muffins when they are put in front of him, suggesting that his appetites are just as excessive as his eccentric, flamboyant, and extravagant airs.

Store sliced cucumbers in an airtight container, covered in water. The water will prevent the cut cucumbers from drying, shrinking or softening. Be sure to change the water every 2 to 3 days, to maintain freshness. We love this technique when preparing ahead of time for a big batch of Cucumber Salad.

Geography/History

Old cucumbers are developed from cucumbers that have been left on the vine to fully mature and somewhat harden. Many experts believe Old cucumbers are the mature form of the Chinese yellow cucumber. Today Old cucumbers are primarily localized to markets in Southeast Asia, China, and Korea.

Cucumbers are perfectly safe for dogs to eat, and offer a low-calorie, crunchy snack that many dogs love. Cucumbers only contain about 8 calories per one-half cup of slices, compared to the 40 calories in a single medium dog biscuit. Cucumbers are also very low in sodium and fat-free.

Mandoline (or some sort of slicing attachment on a food processor) – A mandoline is the best way to get your cucumbers sliced thin. The texture of the sandwich is better with layers of thinly sliced cucumbers verses a thick slice of a cucumber. Bread – Make sure you buy a really good-quality thin sliced bread.

It's understood that the late monarch favoured "jam pennies" at tea time - these are tiny crustless raspberry jam sandwiches that are cut into circles about the size of an old english penny.

Cucumber Sandwiches Appeared During The Victorian Era

According to The Telegraph, the "lower classes preferred not to waste energy on something with so little protein." For a while, cucumber sandwiches were eaten as this sort of pure indulgence with a piping hot cup of tea.

What does a cucumber sandwich symbolize? ›

The social implications of the cucumber sandwich were profound. Serving these sandwiches at afternoon tea became a way to signal one's social standing, as only those of sufficient means could afford the luxury of greenhouse-grown cucumbers all year round.

The cucumber sandwich's light and somewhat nutrition-less attributes signaled that the leisurely upper classes didn't need the high-value food of laborers. The lives of the Victorian elite were primarily sedentary, and dainty foods could sustain them.

First, unless you can find seedless cucumbers, you must eviscerate them. Cucumber seeds, slimy, springy and evasive, will ruin the texture of any salad, soup or dip. Then, you must salt them to draw out as much liquid as possible.

"It's best to place them in a breathable bag or wrap them loosely in a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture," says Carla L. Schwan, Ph. D., assistant professor and extension food safety specialist director at the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Storing Sliced Cucumber

If you're pre-slicing cucumbers for a convenient snack throughout the week, do not put them in a plastic bag unless you plan on eating them within the same day. Instead, wrap them in a damp paper towel and store them in an airtight container for up to five days.